Everyone knows the saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Nowhere does this hold more true than with the Kawasaki Vulcan 900. For just under 20 years now, the design and engineering of this great all-rounder bike have barely changed (new colours in 2020, though!), yet riders and designers alike still flock to this bike to learn how to do it right. But what do you need to know about this bike, and is it right for you?
Have a look at our review to find out.
The Motorbike
First off, the Vulcan 900 is a middleweight road cruiser with a classic 4-stroke, 903 cc V-twin engine. The bike has three variations: The Classic, the Custom, and the Classic LT. It’s quite a heavy bike, but the lower centre of gravity keeps it stable. It’s not the nippiest ride, but it has all the manoeuvrability you might want. It’ll still get you through traffic with little problem and has that great burst of instant power for overtaking. In addition, it has enough power and flair to simply be fun! There’s a reason many people always come back to the Vulcan with a smile.
This bike combines the reliability of the Kawasaki brand with some great retro styling. If you fell in love with bikes from the early Harley-Davidson era, then this is the bike you’ve been longing to ride. The main competitors are the Suzuki Boulevard C50, Honda Shadow Phantom, and the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec – only the Yamaha comes vaguely close in styling.
The reviews of this bike all highlight how comfortable it is to ride. The wide bars and laid-back low seating style mean you can cruise for hours just admiring the scenery. Of course, for sitting squarely on the road and gobbling up the miles, you can’t do much better, but the handling and performance take this bike out of the realm of a boring cruiser and into a great all-around ride.
The Riders
The 900 Classic and Classic LT models have basically the same base. The Classic LT, however, is geared more towards the touring biker. There is a passenger backrest as standard, leather saddlebags, and a height-adjustable windscreen. It still has all the maneuverability of the Classic, but if you go on longer journeys – this one is a bit more set up for you.
The Custom is different mainly in the front; it has drag-style handlebars and a slimmer seat, among other differences. However, there is no difference in performance between all the bikes – the Custom is set up more for joy rides and has a slightly different look. Passengers also report being less comfortable on the Custom than on the Classic or Classic LT.
All have Kawasaki’s user-friendly neutral finder on the 5-speed transmission – this makes it harder to stall at lights, so it’s a great bike for learners either moving up a bike size or new to cruisers.
It’s a fantastic, reliable bike. Not the fastest out there – you will likely struggle to keep up with any sports bikes, but for cruising the coast or roads and enjoying your time – you can’t find many better.
We Buy Any Bike
The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 has always been desirable, with a great second-hand market. Kawasaki is known for reliability and low maintenance, so this is a standout resell bike.
If you want to sell your Vulcan 900 or indeed have ‘buy my bike’ dominating your search history, we are bike buyers! Contact our friendly team to find out the details; we’d love to hear from you and get you a good deal for your bike: 0800 009 6020